Fernanda Ulvert
Google
I visited Barkyard n’ Brews after seeing tons of ads that made it look like a fantastic off leash, dog-friendly hangout. Unfortunately, the reality was a letdown.
First off, it’s members-only, which i don’t ever recall being mentioned in their marketing, and they charge a $15 fee just to let your dog in. For a place that brands itself as a dog bar, it’s strange (and kind of off-putting) to charge a cover for dogs. It feels like they’re just using the dog-friendly angle to get people in, but once you’re there, the experience isn’t truly built for the dogs at all.
They do have a no-kids-under-15 rule in the dog area, which I appreciated for safety, but then they ban toys. TOYS! So, dogs can’t even play. My dog loves to play fetch, and without anything to do, she was just bored and overheated. The park layout is just a big open square with a couple of random “dog Olympic” type of obstacles, minimal shade, and limited seating.
And let’s talk about the heat. This is Florida, and the only air-conditioned area is the front check-in desk. The bar area, was okay, it was at least slightly shaded, but the food area was absolutely sweltering. They did have a large fan, i’ll give them that, but only one on one side of the dog area. The guy serving beers kept disappearing into the AC area, and the rest of us were stuck waiting around for him to show back up. On top of that, there was only one bathroom!
They also apparently throw events with music, but the layout and heat make it feel like the events are for people to post on Instagram, not for you and your dog to actually enjoy. It all feels more about the look of being a dog friendly bar than the function of one.
Honestly, if I wanted to sit in the heat with my dog and drink a beer, I could’ve gone to a dog beach for cheaper, or better yet, i could go to The Wharf Fort Lauderdale instead where it’s far more comfortable, has way more shade, AC restrooms, and doesn’t charge you for simply showing up with your dog.
Not worth the hype or the cost.